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Software Distribution Lifecycle
Updated: December 17, 2012
Applies To: Windows Intune December 2012 Release
This section provides an abridged process for how software is deployed in Windows Intune. The other topics in this section provide full step–by-step instructions for deploying software.
Software Distribution Life Cycle
Windows Intune lets you deploy or link to the software for both computers and mobile devices, and then make the software available to users. Managing the deployment lets you select the device and the users to which the software will be deployed, and lets you select whether the installation is optional or required. At any time after deployment, you can view the statistics to see the application adoption.
First, follow these steps to prepare for software deployment
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Make sure that you have the software files that you have to add to Windows Intune, and that those files meet the requirements. Make sure that the computers and mobile devices in the network comply with the device requirements. For more information, see Planning for Software Distribution and Enabling Mobile Device Management with Windows Intune.
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When you deploy software, you have to select from the list of groups that exists in Windows Intune. Make sure that you have user and device groups created according to the needs of your software deployment. For more information on creating user and device groups, see Device and User Group Considerations.
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For available installations, make sure that the users that you are managing are linked to their computers. Otherwise, users cannot view the link or download the available software from the Windows Intune company portal to that computer. For more information about linking users and computers, see Linking a User to a Computer.
Note To download applications that are made available for installation on Android devices, you do not have to link the Android device to a user.
Next, follow these steps to deploy software
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In the Software workspace, click Add Software to open the Windows Intune Software Publisher and follow the steps through the wizard to add the software package files, or links to the software, to Windows Intune. For specific instructions and definitions of parameters and explanation, see Adding Software Packages.
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In the Managed Software page, select the title of the software that you want to deploy, and then click Manage Deployment . Follow the steps through the wizard to deploy the software. You are prompted to select user or device groups to deploy the software to and select the kind of installation. For specific instructions and definitions of parameters and explanation, see Deploying Software Packages.
After you have deployed the software, the software is automatically deployed for required installations and is installed on managed computers as specified. For available installs, the software will be available in the Windows Intune company portal for users in the groups that you selected, and they can link to or download the software.
Important Software packages distributed as web links or for mobile devices can be added only as an available installation. -
To monitor software deployment status and software adoption, click Managed Software . Select the software and view its properties and status. For more information about how to monitor software deployment status, see Monitoring the Deployment Status.
